The Wabash River Floods

The home I grew up in and where I had my first horses is on the Wabash River. Talk about a wonderful way to grow up - horses, a beautiful river, living in the country... I was fortunate.

But living on the river posed some unique challenges, one of which is occurring right now.

Flooding.

A river or creek over its banks is very, very dangerous. The current is fast and often carries debris such as uprooted trees and other items it has swept away. And sometimes the current is not going in the normal flow of the river due to the topography of the land it is flooding. You can get caught in a cross current before you know it.

I know this road very well - that's my parents' property on either side of it, but there is no way I would drive through that water. I could see there was a cross current running across the road. The drop-off off the sides of the road is about three feet; if I got caught in that cross current and went off the road, I could be in real trouble.

This gate and pasture are on the property adjacent to ours. All through junior high and high school I cared for the horses our neighbors owned and kept here. More than once I had to cut fences to rescue horses when the river came up quickly and the gate was underwater.

The neighbors no longer own horses and have donated this land to Niches, a land trust that preserves pockets of land and ecosystems in their natural states.

Another view of the neighbors' old pasture. The black marks on the tree trunks are actually a good sign. They're water marks - wet places that show how high the water was. The fact that they show indicates that the floodwaters are receding.

Sure am glad I don't have to fight that water and muck to feed horses today!

Including the Donkey

Faith is an important aspect of my life. So are horses. So, when I see a nativity display that is along the more simple, minimalist lines...

... the horse lover in me is always glad when the donkey is included!

(This nativity is on the grounds of the LDS Temple in Indianapolis.)

Parade Set for Sale

I puttered around this rainy Monday by visiting some of the local antique stores - it's so nice to be on winter break and be able to do so! I found a couple of things but left them behind (except for a horse planter like one my grandmother had; for $2 that came home with me!)

My favorite discovery was this:

 A western parade set! It was marked as being from the 1900s, but I think it's more likely the saddle is from the 1940s/50s.

 At $1250, it wasn't coming home with me, but I could still stand there and appreciate its beauty and craftsmanship.

My favorite part?

These headstall decorations! 

A Bearded Bojangles

My sister, Leslie, sent me this picture of her pony, Bojangles. She is the director of The Farm at Prophetstown in Prophetstown State Park and loans him to be used as one of the farm animals.

Bo is VERY popular; here he is with a girl who likes to come out and visit him and volunteer.

Look at that winter coat! And that beard he's grown!

(Now, if we could just get some winter weather - it's 50 degrees outside as I write!)

Licking the Flagpole, Abby-Style

"Stuck, stuck, stuck, STUCK!!" yells Flick  in A Christmas Story when triple-dog-dared to lick the flagpole.

 Well, Abby wasn't dared...

... but she did lick the bars of the metal gate this chilly Christmas Eve afternoon! Luckily, it wasn't cold enough to cause her tongue to stick, though.

Merry Christmas from Abby and me!

Horsey Holiday Tree

Not only do I have a horsehead wreath on my front door, I also have a horsey ornament tree!

I debated putting it out - only one of our six children will be here for the holidays, so our celebration will be on a much smaller scale. On the other hand, with no grandchildren dancing about with sugarplums on their minds, I can put some breakables out and not worry.

I still have a crate of horsey ornaments that I left in the closet, and I am hoping to find the Breyer American Pharaoh ornament under my Christmas tree December 25.

I need a bigger ornament tree for 2016!

My Christmas Wreath

My sister-in-love, Cindie, has a tradition of making me a horsehead wreath for Christmas.

 She brought this year's incarnation over this afternoon.

It will be up until Valentine's Day, at least! I really like it.

A Dickens of a Carriage Ride

Lafayette designates itself as the Christmas Capital of the Midwest. December is a festive month with the largest Christmas parade in the state, the Purdue Christmas Musical Show, McCord's Candies (which makes and ships homemade candy canes all over the world), and today's Dickens of a Christmas festival.

All of downtown (whose buildings are old, original 1800s-style architecture) is turned into a Victorian town with strolling carolers, an organ grinder, a brass band playing Christmas music, and a re-enactment of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol. We decided to head downtown this morning with our kids and grandchildren.

We had a super time watching the organ grinder...

... and listening the the brass band...

The candy canes were yummy and it was fun watching them being made.

I didn't think the day could get any better. But then I spied this:

 A horse and carriage coming down Main Street!

I went over to say "hello" to the horse, and the driver invited us to go for a ride. It turned out that free rides were being given all day long.

I wasn't going to turn that offer down, so Jessica, Cambria, and I climbed into the carriage and away we went through downtown Lafayette! (I love the look on Cambria's face!)

 My view during the ride.

 Curt and Ian took the next ride.

I filmed their ride - that's Cambria wailing because she wanted to go again. Likewise Ian cried when his ride was over, too.

There was also a team of Clydesdales pulling a buckboard that could hold more people. I'm glad we got to ride in that beautiful carriage. For me, it was the best part of the day!

Thankful!

I am thankful for many, many things. But here's something for which I am especially grateful.

Abby! 

(I need to get her a selfie stick for Christmas...)

Buggies and Wagons and Buckboards, Oh My!

Tim purchases old wagons and buggies and restores them. Some he sells, others he keeps in the new barn by the indoor arena.

Today I went into the workroom to get a salt block and just had to take a few pictures of the ones currently parked in the barn aisle.

 There's a whole row of them!

 Some of quite unusual or rare, like this 1822 paddy wagon.

It has been borrowed by museums and other places for festivals and the like.

 He's restored and repaired all of them.

 Some are still works in progress. 

The paddy wagon is my favorite, although I am awfully fond of the sleigh that Tim is working on in the shop. I'll try to get pictures of that next time.

Downsizing Fun

I don't collect customized Breyer models, although I do have three early 1970s ones (Pace's Hi Hopes, Scojeadon (I think that's her name), and Midwest Tumbleweed, all by a woman named Sherry Cook.)

And, there's this guy:

 Champaign Toast made by Tiffany Conwell (Purdy) in 1995.

 She brought him to the third Lincoln Land Live (a model show I hosted back in the mid 1990s) and I fell in love with him! After the show, I purchased him and have owned him ever since.

He's a nice piece of hobby history, and Tiffany has gone on to become one of the top artists in the hobby.

But, as I said, I really don't collect the customized Breyers - I prefer the original finish, and the vintage ones at that. I am also downsizing my collection (well, in SOME ways I am... haha!) So, when I was cleaning out my hobby closet over Fall Break and found Champaign Toast tucked away in a box, I thought about who I knew that might enjoy him, thinking that I would just surprise someone with an early Purdy custom.

Jennifer Buxton, came to mind. She is a very good friend of Tiffany's. She's also the one who made me the miniature halter with Abby's name on it as well as a set of sleigh bells that are my real-horse bells only downsized for model horses. Jennifer's tack is the best of the best, and she's also a genuinely nice person. Who better to surprise than her?

So, I popped him in a box and shipped him off last week.

 

(Picture of Jennifer by James Buxton and used with permission.)

Jennifer was so excited to receive him! I am delighted he has gone to her.

Circus Pony Pin

Besides my wedding rings, this pin is my favorite piece of jewelry.

I found it at a junk shop in tiny Gilman, Illinois back in the early 1990s. It was missing a few rhinestones and the pin was broken, so I sent it to an acquaintance, Nan Wagner, and had her repair it. I wear it often and it makes me smile every time.

I've never seen another one like it until yesterday. I was doing a search for "circus pony" looking for something else, when to my surprise, an image popped up of a similar pin. I followed the link to this:

1940s Enamel and Rhinestone Figural Circus Horses Brooch

Presenting a rhodium-plated beauty . . . two circus horses in colored headdress. One is enameled black with white accents; the other is fully rhinestone'd, with black front stockings. The back is bright silvertone and very smooth, typical of the quality figural pieces made in the late 1930s and early 1940s. There appears to be one small stone missing; if I can find a perfect match, I'll pop it in for you. Minor loss of enamel on the rear horse's headdress; other than those items, this dynamic horsey duo is in excellent condition. Measures just shy of 3" across. Unsigned.

Circus Pony Pin $75 from Retro Jewels on Ruby Lane, Gaithersburg, MD

Mine has a goldtone backing and is stamped with a manufacturer symbol...

...an "MB" on the front leg of one of the horses.

I'm thrilled to have found some information on a pin that appears related to mine, and  plan to keep my eyes open for more.

Photo Shoot

Here are some of the pictures of Abby that were sent to North Salisbury Living for the article they are doing about her.

 My daughter-in-love, Vanessa, took them for me as a surprise for Mother's Day.

 I love Abby's "Egyptian" eyes.

 She loves to have her itchy spots scratched!

 I also am fond of the black spots on her upper lip.

Cleaning the Hobby Closet

Last weekend was Fall Break, and so I cleaned out my hobby closet, a task I had had on my summer to-do list, but never accomplished. This time I got it done.

I pulled out all kinds of things from Johnny West dolls, Thunderbolt, old hobby magazines, ribbons I had won with my horses and my collection, and more. It was a real walk down memory lane.

It also made a big mess in the horse room.

 Yeesh!! I can't believe I actually got all that stuff put back away in the closet. But I did!

I found a real treasure - this painting. It's not Abby, even though it sure looks like her.

That's a painting of Amy, my very first horse and my favorite of all time. It was because of the similarity to Amy that I bought Abby - I truly had no intention of ever owning a horse again.

The mother of my pen pal, Sue Seese, was a talented artist. She painted portraits and full body paintings of horses and sold them. (A restaurant in Los Angelos displayed them, and once we ate there when I was in California visiting Sue. It was fun seeing Mrs. Seese's horse paintings all over the dining area!) Her mom sent me this one as a gift. She also did one of Cee and another of me riding bareback on Amy that she also gave me, and they are tucked away in that closet, too.

Finding that painting made me nostalgic and even a little sad. I really loved that horse. But I think my favorite discovery tucked in those boxes of memories were these blankets.

I made them for two of my model horses to wear way back when I was in elementary school. I free handed the embroidery and the "brand" on Sham's blanket. (I still have Apache Joe and Sham in my collection - two oldies and well loved.)

The blankets need washing, but I doubt I will do that - they are so old and delicate, I would hate to have them disintegrate on me. But I did not put them back into their box; I put them in with my current hobby items. That way I will see them any time I putter with my collection.

Get Your Hoofprint now!

Get your Abby hoof print now - she's going to be featured in a magazine. A very SMALL magazine, but one nonetheless.

Our town has a monthly magazine for residents, and there is a pet featured every month. After a continuous round of cats and dogs (which I love, don't get me wrong), I decided that a change might be nice, checked into how the pet of the month was selected, and submitted Abby as a possibility.

She was chosen!

I had to fill out this questionnaire so they can write the article, and I need to get some high resolution photos to them. (My cell phone snaps just don't make the grade.)

Here's the questionnaire:

Family Member Names: Lynn and Craig Isenbarger

Pet’s Name: Abby
Type of Animal/Breed: Horse, Appaloosa

Male or Female: Mare

Pet’s Age: about 15

Where/why did you get your pet? 

In March, 2012 I went with my sister to Indiana Horse Rescue in Frankfort to look at a horse she was hoping to buy. When we walked out into the pasture, I spied Abby (known then as “Sassy”) and was struck by how much she looked like my very first horse, Amy. (I actually burst into tears; I’ve owned many horses, but Amy was my favorite.) I was currently horseless and had NO plans to get one any time soon. But the resemblance was uncanny, and so I spent some time with her, then went home and talked to my husband, Craig, about adopting her. He had no objections, so I found a place close by to keep her and began the adoption process!

Is there a story behind its name? 

“Abby” is very close to “Amy” but that is only part of the story. When I was a child, a friend had a lovely Appaloosa mare whose name was “Abby.” The name popped into my mind and I never considered another!

Anything special or unusual about them (talents/quirks)?

She LOVES candy canes! I buy tons during the post-Christmas sales and keep them in the trunk of my car for her. And she comes when I call her or if she sees my car pull up to the barn. She hustles right up for a visit (and her candy canes.) Also, Abby limped for over a year after I got her - when she was rescued from her abusive situation, her hooves had been neglected for a long time. When that happens and they are not trimmed, they can grow up into curves, sort of like the slippers genies are depicted as wearing. (They are called “slippered hooves” because of that.) One had curved up and around so badly, it was poking her in her fetlock. Those hooves had to be trimmed back to normal, and it was painful to her as her muscles and ligaments adjusted and went back to normal. I was so glad when she finally stopped limping and could trot without hurting.

What do you like best about your pet?

Winston Churchill said that “the outside of the horse is good for the inside of man.” That’s true! I love what I do (I am a teacher) but sometimes when I am tired or frustrated, going out to see Abby, hearing her nicker when she sees me, and just scratching all her favorite spots helps me relax and regroup. She also “talks” to me sometimes - very soft noises that she makes when we are together. Melts my heart!

Any funny stories?

When I was hauling Abby home from Indiana Horse Rescue the day I adopted her, my son called. His wife was in labor, and later that morning their daughter, Corinne, was born. Corinne is three now and LOVES the fact that she and Abby share a “birthday.” She calls Abby “my twin horse.” 

How spoiled is your pet?

I call her “Diva Girl,” but in reality, she isn’t too spoiled. I do think, though, that after all she went through before she was rescued, she certainly deserves to be spoiled! I’ll never be able to make that up for her, but I can make sure she is happy, well fed, warm, has fresh water, and, of course, plenty of candy canes to nibble!

What else should we know about your pet and/or how your pet has enriched your home/family?

I think I’ve covered most of it, but I would highly recommend supporting animal rescues, be they for horses or other animals. Abby was lucky; one of the horses she was with when rescued died, and a second one had to be euthanized due to the effects of his neglect. I am so grateful for those who stepped in to save Abby and the other horses with her, and to those who donated hay, money, and other supplies for the horses. 

Having Cake; Eating It, Too

I have been involved with horses all my life; my mother tells me that when I was a toddler, I used to get excited and point out the horses we saw as we drove around in the car. My earliest memories are horse-related, and I cannot remember a time when I did not love them.

Originally, I planned to have a career that included horses. Breeding, showing, even possibly riding in the Olympics on the US Equestrian Team! When I was seventeen, my dad and I looked at properties for a horse farm - he would do the funding, I would pay him back through boarding and training fees. I also started in the pre-vet program at Purdue University, thinking to become an equine veterinarian.

But my priorities shifted in my late teens. I realized that, while my love for horses was strong, that there were other things I loved, too. I wanted a family, and a big one at that. My religious faith (Mormon) was important to me, and when you spend every Sunday at a horse show, it is difficult to feel a part of your church family or to serve as a Sunday School teacher (my other love was teaching.) I so enjoyed teaching children, and thought that education might be a good fit for me.

And so I decided to make faith and family the priority. I knew I could still have horses in my life; I just would focus on a different career - teaching.

One husband, six children, eleven grandchildren, and eight horses later, I have no regrets. I love my big family, my teaching career, and I love being able to attend church and serve as needed. Plus, I have Abby to enjoy. Life is sweet.

Other horse lovers make a different choice for their life's path. I was reading an article in The Chronicle of the Horse, a weekly magazine that focuses on the highest levels of dressage, eventing, and showing jumping, and read an interview with Irish rider, Conor Swail. He has home bases in Canada, Florida, and Ireland, and a wife and child.

The interviewer writes that "... he tries to fly back to Ireland as much as possible to spend time with his family."

That gave me pause. Instead of his family living with him as he goes from home base to home base, they live apart. That must be tough on them all, I thought.

I continued reading the article, but no more mention was made of his family. The response to the last question, I thought, surely would include them. It asked where he saw himself in ten years.

"I would like to continue being successful. I think I would like, in the next couple of years, to get in the top ten of the world. I have a great team of horses at the moment and great owners."

No mention of family. It really made me think about his lifestyle with horses, one that I had thought might be my own. About the life I had contemplated and then rejected,  deciding that my priorities went along a different path.

Do I have any regrets?

None. I would make the same decision again.

The subtitle to this blog is "My life with horses" and I have certainly had that! And while I wish Conor Swail the best as he pursues his career goals, I am grateful for the choices I made to include my love of horses on a lesser scale.

This horsewoman is fortunate to have had my cake, and eaten it, too.

Barn Buddy II

When I arrived at the barn this afternoon, my little barn buddy spied me and came running. His parents live on the property, and he, his mama, and little sister were enjoying the beautiful fall day outside in their back yard.

"Can I go see the horses with you?" he asked as he reached me.

"Is it okay with your mom? Did you ask her?" I replied.

"Um, no," was his response.

I looked up and Melanie, carrying sweet baby Paisley, was walking toward us. She was a little worried that Deacon might be a bother, but I assured her that I did not mind his company, so she consented.

We set off around the corner of the new barn, Deacon chattering a blue streak. He commented on how I used the gates. "My Papa ducks through the fence. So do I. Why don't you?"

(Because I have an artificial hip and two artificial knees and the rest of me is stiff with arthritis!)

Only pausing briefly to pick a ladybug off a plant, Deacon trotted alongside me as we reached the old barn. Abby and the herd were out beyond that in the west pasture. (Just to prove I could, I ducked through the rails of the fence, but Deacon wasn't impressed with my prowess - he was too interested in the ladybug that was now crawling on his sleeve.)

I called Abby's name and whistled while Deacon held up the pear I had given him to share with her.

He's got that ladybug gently clutched in the other hand!

 Abby came right up for her afternoon snack.

 While the ladybug scooted out of Deacon's hand and into his sleeve...

... Abby stuck her head out and nudged his cheek.

"Stop that, Abby!"

Abby ate the pears I had brought, and then Deacon and I walked back through the pastures, around the new barn, and back to his home where his mom and Paisley were sitting out on the patio.

Can't wait to have my barn buddy join me again!

The Cornhusking Nationals!

(All photos in this post are from The Farm at Prophetstown Facebook page.)

Believe it or not, the Cornhusking Nationals are held here at The Farm at Prophetstown in tiny Battle Ground, Indiana. Not only that, but the state championship was held there, too, this weekend!

The corn husking is done by hand, and the shucked corn is tossed into a wagon pulled by draft horses as they harvest the fields.

It is hard, hand and finger blistering work, and far slower than modern methods done by gigantic harvesting combines.

A team of Belgians awaits trolley passengers in the farmyard of the homestead.

Competitors brought their own horses and wagons, and stabled their horses in the farm's big barn.

Bojangles, the farm's resident miniature horse, gets acquainted with a beautiful team of Percherons.

Isn't this Belgian gorgeous?

The Percherons,  harnessed and ready to compete. 

They wait patiently as the husker does his job.

Leslie told me the horses that had come for the competition were all Belgians and Percherons. I am assuming that this is a pair of black Percherons.

 A pair of Belgians wait their turn to compete. That's the big barn in the background.

The farm's Belgians pulled the trolley out into the fields so spectators could get a closer look at the cornhusking.

 Presenting the 2015 Golden Age Cornhusking Champion - 83 year old John Henry Becker!

I love the colors on this vintage grain wagon.

Working their way down the cornrows. And having some good conversation along the way.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch... er, farmstead, there were games and activities set up for families and spectators. My favorite?

The corn sandbox! And all the John Deere green toys!